Seal-lock.



PATBNTED APR. 30,4190?.

lA.B0AL. SEAL LOCK. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

765565 @www daf @an/ PATENTED APR. so, 19o?.-

A. BOAL.

SEAL LOCK.

APPL-MATIGN FILED AUG. 27, 1906.

z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

AYRES BOAL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SEAL-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'ratented April 30, 1907.

Application 'Sled August 27,1906. Serial No. 332,183.

Be it known that I, Avans BOAL, a citizen of the VUnited States,residing at Chicago, county oitl Cook, State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Im )rovements in Seal-Locks, of which thefollowing is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to seal-locks adapted for use in connection withfreight-car doors, express messengers trunks and other articles to whichit is desirable to apply a seal that Will prevent them from being openedunless the seal is destroyed.

The objects of my invention are to provide a seal-lock having improveddevices for engaging a sealing strip and holding the same againstwithdrawal and which can be adjusted to draw the strip within the lockcasing to any desired extent; to provide a construction of lock-casingthat will permit the sealing strip, after the same has been cut andreleased from the staple or other device with which it has beenconnected, to be passed entirely through the lock-casing to provide animproved sealing strip, and to generally improve the construction andoperation of devices of this character.

Broadly stated, my invention consists in securing within a suitablecasing a toothed wheel capable of rotation in one direction only, suchcasing being provided with openings in its edge to permit a sealingstrip to be passed entirely through the casing, such openings being solocated with reference to the toothed wheel rotatably mounted therein asto direct the sealing strip, when first inserted into the casing,against one of the teeth of the wheel and cause the wheel to turn, andsuch sealing strip being provided with holes from end to end so spacedapart and of such size as to be engaged by the teeth of the wheel asthe'pushing of the strip into the casing is continued.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of arailway-car showing my improvements applied in connection With the doorof the car. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through my improved lock,the section being taken at line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalcross-section taken at line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an edge view of myimproved sealing strip, showing in dotted lines the position to whichsaid strip is to be brought to adapt its ends to be forced intothelock-casing. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the sealing strip. Fig. 6is a vertical section illustrating a modified form of lock in which butone wheel is employed. Fig. 7 is a crosssection at line 7 7 ot' Fig. 6.Fig. 8 is a view partly in section, and partly in side elevation,illustrating a modification in the means employed for locking thetoothed wheel against backward rotationthe section being taken at line S8 oi Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a cross section taken at line 9 9 of Fig. S.

Referring to the several iiigures of the drawings, in whichcorresponding parts are indicated by the same :reference characters, 1011 indicate the two parts of a metal casing in which is contained thelocking mechanism, the said two parts being held together, in theconstruction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, by rivets 12 and 13.

14 15 indicate two toothed wheels or gears journaled respectivelyY onthe rivets 12 and 13, and having their teeth or cogs meshing with eachother. [n one tace of the wheel 14 is formed an annular recess, the edgeof which has cut in it a series of ratchet teeth 16, with which a pawl17, located in said annular recess and pivoted to the casing, is adaptedto engage. 1S Ais a small spring also located in said annular recess andsecured at one end to the casing and bearing at its tree end against thepawl so as to keep said pawl in constant engagement with the ratchetteeth 16. As will be readily understood, the engagement of the pawl withthe ratchet teeth will prevent the wheel 14 'from rotating in onedirection but will Apermit its rotation in the other direction.

19 2() indicate two openings in the edge wall of the casing, suchopenings boing in the form of slots to conform to the general shape incross-section ot' the ribbon-like metal sealing strip hereinafterdescribed. The o iening 19, which is the one through which the sealingstrip is inserted into the casing, is preferably somewhat flaring, asclearly shown in Fig. 2, to render the insertion of the strip to bee'll'ected more readily. As shown, the metal oill the casing members 1()and 11 is thickened somewhat at the points where these openings 19 and2() are formed in order to permit such slots to be of the requisitewidth, and on the inner `faces of the casing members opposite thethickened portions re- 'ferred to are 'formed guiding grooves 21 forreceiving the edges of. the sealing strip, such grooves 21 connectingthe openings 19 and 20, and with such openings forming a continuous IOOIlO

guide for the said sealing strip in its passage through the casing. Thetwo openings 19 and 2O are opposite one another, and l pre fer to solocate them, but it would not be a departure from my invention to locateone of them nearer to the axis of the wheel 14., but in that event theguiding slots 21 would have to be curved sufliciently to properlyconnect the openings 19 and 20. Under all circumstances it is essentialto the carrying out of my invention that the openings be so arrangedthat the sealing strip shall engage the teeth of the wheel ashereinafter described.

22 indicates my improved sealing strip adapted to be used in connectionwith the locking mechanism described. As stated, this strip 22 is madeof metal,-preferably cut from a thin sheet of tin and is of a width topass through the openings in the casing. lt is perforated at regularintervals with holes 23 of a size and shape to permit the teeth of thewheel 14 to pass through them.

The operation of the parts that form the lock so far described is asfollowsz-The casing is to be permanently attached in place by a chainconnected to the eye 24, as shown in Fig. 1, or otherwise, the sealingstrip 22 is then to be passed through a staple or eye with which it isdesired that it be connected, and the two ends of the strip broughttogether as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and both ol' such endsforced into the slot 19. The continued forcing in of these ends bringsthem into contact with one of the teeth on the wheel 14 and the pressureon such tooth causes the said wheel 14 to rotate with the result thatseveral of the succeeding teeth are caused to enter some of the holes inthe two thicknesses of the sealing strip, and, as the wheel 14 ispositively locked against reversely rotating, it will be impossible towithdraw the strip and consequently the strip cannot be detached fromthe staple or eye through which it has been passed without breaking theseal-that is, cutting the strip. /Vhen so cut, the two parts of thestrip can be disengaged from the locking mechanism and the casing bypushing them forward so that their ends will project through the opening21, and then by grasping such projecting ends the destroyed strip can bequickly pulled out.

While there is but little liability of the strip being manipulated so asto permit it being disengaged from the teeth of the wheel 14, yet as anadditional precaution against an attempt to disengage them beingsuccessful, I provide the second toothed wheel 15, which, meshing withthe wheel 14 at all times and bearing against the strip between theholes therein will tend to crowd such strip toward the said Wheel 14. Itis evident of course that this second wheel `15 can only turn in onedirection, as it is always in mesh with the toothed wheel 14. Anotheradvantage incident to the use of my improved lock and sealing strip isthat while the strip may be considerably longer than is necessary it canbe pushed as far as desired into the casing, or even so as to projectthrough the casing, so as to have the casing held closely to the stapleor eye that the strip is passed through, and no matter to what extentthe strip is inserted into the casing provided always that it isinserted far enough-to permit one of the teeth of the wheel 14 to enterone of the holes in the strip-it will be firmly locked therein.

1n Figs. 6 and 7 is illustrated a modification wherein the toothed wheel15 is entirely omitted and the casing 10 11 is correspondinglyshortened. inasmuch as in every other respect the parts are identicalwith those shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the same reference numerals areemployed as in connection with the par-ts of Figs. 2 and 3. Inconnection with this modified form,` the sealing strip 22 -is usedexactly as in the former construction and held in the same way by thetoothed wheel 14.

In Figs. 8 and 9, l have illustrated still an other modification, thecasing being a twopart casing substantially the same as shown in Fig. 6,and which parts are therefore indicated by the same reference characterswith the addition of the letter a, one of said members having formedwith it an eye 24a correspending to the eye 24 in the other figures. Thetwo parts of the casing are held together by a central bolt 12a. Thecasing has formed'in its opposite edges openings 19d and 20a, whichcorrespond to the openings 19 and 20 in the other figures, and guidingslots 21a,

corresponding to the guiding slots 21 of the other figures, that connectthese two openings 19d and 20a. 25 indicates a disk rigidly secured bybolts 26 to the inner face of one of the members of the casing, suchmember, in the construction shown, being that one indicated by 11a. Theedge of this disk 25 has formed on it a series of inclined teeth. 14aindicates a ring having teeth on its periphery, such ring fitting overthe disk 25. The edge of the large central opening in this ring isprovided with teeth adapted to engage with the teeth of the fixed disk25. The central opening in this toothed ring 14a is large enough topermit the ring to be moved freely in one direction on the toothed edgeof such ring, but any attempt to turn such ring in the reverse directionwill result in the engagement of the teeth on its inner edge with theteeth on the fixed disk 25. This ring 14a corresponds in function to thetoothed wheel 14 of the other constructions described, and it is turnedby the insertion of the sealing strip 22 just as is the toothed wheel 14in the other constructions., In either case, whether ITO ISO

using the toothed Wheel construction or the toothed ring construction,it Will be apparent that the sealing strip cannot be vWithdrawn from thecasing through the opening in Which it Was inserted, but must be pushedthrough the opposite opening and then pulledD out.

'What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a seal-lock, the combination with a casing, of a Wheelrotatively mounted therein and provided on its periphery with a fixedtooth, means for preventing the rotation oi the Wheel in one direction,said casing having an opening through its opposite edge Walls, and anapertured strip adapted to be inserted through one of said openings tocause the Wheel when rotated to have its said tooth projected throughthe apertured strip, said strip being also adapted to be Withdrawn fromthe casing through the opposite casing opening, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a seal-lock, the combination with a casing, of a Wheel rotatablymounted therein and provided on its periphery with a fixed tooth, means'for preventing the rotation oi' the Wheel in one direction, said casinghaving an opening through its opposite edge walls, and an aperturedstrip adapted to be inserted through one of said openings to cause theWheel when rotated to have its saidtooth projected through the aperturedstrip, said strip being also adapted to be Withdrawn from the casingthrough the opposite casing opening, said casing also having a guide todirect said strip through the casing, substantially as described.

3. In a seal-lock, the combination with a casing, of a Wheel rotatablymounted therein and having a series of peripheral teeth, means forpreventing rotation of the Wheel in one direction, said casing having anopening through its opposite edge Walls, and an apertured strip adaptedto be inserted through one of said openings to abut against one of theteeth and turn the Wheel so as to cause another of said teeth to enterone of the apertures of the strip, and to be Withdrawn 'from the casingthrough the opposite casing opening.

4. In a seal-lock, the combination with a casing, of a toothed Wheelrotatably mounted therein, means vfor preventing rotation of the wheelin one direction7 a second rotatable Wheel mounted in the casing andmeshing with the Vfirst-named wheel, said casing having openings in itsopposite edge Walls, and an apertured strip adapted to be inserted intothe casing through one of said openings to pass between said toothedWheels and be thereby locked against withdrawal and thereafter beWithdrawn from the casing through the opposite one of said openings,substantially as specified.

5. ln a seal-lockI the combination with a casing, of a toothed wheelrotatably mounted therein, means for preventing rotation or' the wheelin one direction, a second rotatable Wheel mountedv in the casing andmeshing with the first-named wheel, said casing having openings initsopposite edge walls, and an apertured strap adapted to he inserted intothe casing through one of said openings to pass between said toothedWheels and be thereby locked against withdrawal and thereafter beWithdrawn 'from the casing through thc opposite one of said openings,said casing also having a guide to direct said strip between saidtoothed Wheels, substantially asyspeciiiied.

6. .ln a seal-lock, the combination With a casing, of a toothed Wheelrotatably mounted therein, an annular recess in one Vface of said Wheelthe edge of which recess has a series of' teeth, a spring-actuated dogin said recess adapted to engage said teeth, an apertured strip adaptedto be engaged by the teeth ol said Wheel, said casing being providedwith openings in its opposite edge walls to permit said strip to bepassed entirely through the casing, substantially as speciiied.

AYRES BOAL.

W'itnesses z ALBERT H. ADAMS, VILLIAM H. DE BUsK.

